Tampa, Fla.: Alex Rodriguez’s spring training saga took another surprising turn: He’s headed for hip surgery today that will sideline him for six to nine weeks – and that’s not all.

The New York Yankees slugger will need a second operation after the season, assuming he can play all the way through. Dr. Marc Philippon, who will perform the operation in Colorado, said he’s confident Rodriguez will be able to do that after he recovers from surgery.

“Well, it’s better than him missing the whole year,” Yankees manager Joe Girardi said. “It could have been a lot worse.”

The decision Sunday came after Rodriguez and the Yankees spent the week mulling treatment options for his torn labrum, and it was yet another jolt to the three-time MVP during a tumultuous month in which he admitted using steroids from 2001-03 with Texas.

The arthroscopic procedure that was chosen gives Rodriguez a chance to return early this season – general manager Brian Cashman said he expects A-Rod back “sometime in May.” But it also means he’ll need another, more extensive operation in the fall.

Rodriguez and the Yankees decided to put off that surgery, which likely would have kept him out until at least July because it could require three to four months of rehabilitation.

Still, his injury not only leaves the Yankees with a huge hole at third base and in the middle of their lineup, it causes major concerns about the health of a player in the second year of a record $275 million, 10-year contract.

A noted hip specialist with the Steadman-Hawkins Clinic, Philippon spoke to reporters from Vail, Colo., on a conference call Sunday with Cashman. Also on the call was team physician Chris Ahmad.

Philippon said he is confident in the 85 percent to 90 percent range that Rodriguez will be able to play through the rest of the regular season after he recovers from surgery.

“I firmly believe this approach will be successful and allow Alex to return,” Philippon said. “We’ve had very good success with this approach. Short term, we feel the risk is very limited that he will re-tear his labrum during that six-, seven-month period.”

The decision eliminates the option of Rodriguez treating the injury with rest and rehab and playing through the season without surgery. But this operation will not completely correct the hip.

“The surgery that will just repair the labrum tear right now would shorten his rehab,” Cashman said. “Then, following the conclusion of the season, going in and repair the remaining aspects that need to be repaired.”

Now that a treatment plan has been chosen, Cashman said Rodriguez is feeling better.

“When it first happened, he said he was `bummed.’ That was the exact word,” Cashman said. “Alex texted me and he was really positive. He is excited. This is what he wanted to do.”

Rodriguez also has a cyst in his right hip that was drained Wednesday. He had additional tests Friday to test the hip’s strength and flexibility.

Once he returns to the lineup, Rodriguez will likely get more days off than usual.

Cashman could not guarantee that A-Rod will be ready for the start of spring training next year following the second surgery this fall.

Rodriguez’s hip had been fine until he experienced stiffness during spring training this year. The injury forced the 12-time All-Star to skip the World Baseball Classic, where he was to play for the Dominican Republic.

Philippon attributed the labrum tear to the rotational stress that Rodriguez – “a very strong hitter, strong batter” – places on his hip.

“Because of all the test findings, analysis, the function of Alex, I feel it’s in his best interest to have his labrum repaired, remove part of his impingement and therefore stabilize his labrum,” he said. “The goal here is to allow Alex to rehab rapidly in a safe manner.”

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